All good things come in sevens
The European Championships for U25 dressage riders at the Schafhof in Kronberg is the seventh for 24-year-old dressage rider Léonie Guerra from Liechtenstein - and the last European Championships for young riders. She celebrates her 25th birthday in eight days' time and next year she will have to compete against the seniors.
Leonie is competing as an individual rider without a team with her eleven-year-old mare Galina. Why? Because she is the only internationally competing dressage rider in her country. She has also been training with her grandfather for 20 years, from the very beginning. Otto J. Hofer himself was an international dressage rider, took part in three Olympic Games, won individual bronze and team silver twice. And he is certainly his granddaughter's biggest fan.
Léonie Guerra - an exciting personality in the European Championship starting field in Kronberg!
Seven EM questions for Léonie Guerra
- Leonie, to start with: do you feel comfortable as a guest at the Schafhof?
Léonie Guerra: This is actually my very first time here and I was extremely pleased that my participation in the European Championships worked out again. I heard so many raves and dreams about the yard here beforehand and every single prediction has come true. It really is the dream tournament par excellence and I've been to so many beautiful places.
- Leonie, it was your turn in the individual test today and now you have to tremble and hope until tomorrow lunchtime...
Léonie Guerra: I had a serious mistake in the double changes. Galina didn't want to go into the corner beforehand because there was a camera there and we had to ride the changes head on. My horse wasn't comfortable with that. We finished our test with 68.744 per cent and now I have to hope that I make it into the top 18 so that I can compete in the freestyle. But we won't know until tomorrow lunchtime when the test is over.
- You have your mare Galina with you. The first horse that you trained yourself from the age of six to Grand Prix level...
Léonie Guerra: Yes, that's right. I trained her together with my grandfather, he from the ground and I as a rider. Galina is a very special mare, she's a bit moody - like me (laughs). We are very similar, both dark-haired, a bit headstrong, but when it comes down to it, we both give 120 per cent. I love her more than anything! And we're both the same height, 1.69 metres (laughs again).
- On the way to the Grand Prix - what was particularly difficult for you two?
Léonie Guerra : The single changes were a bit 'tricky' at the beginning, it was more like being on a ship in a storm (laughs). But we didn't use any tricks to get the changes straight, we just trusted that the stability would come naturally with the muscularity. And that's exactly what happened.
• Horses are your passion, but you also have another profession...
Léonie Guerra: I work part-time for the Liechtenstein Olympic Committee. That's really cool. Everything that has anything to do with sport in our small country ends up here. And I can also carry out my association work from there. I am responsible for everything to do with dressage in our equestrian sports association.
• You've been training with your grandfather Otto Hofer for as long as you can remember, and he's also here at the Schafhof. What characterises your training together? What is your philosophy?
Léonie Guerra: My grandad never blames the horse. His motto is always in favour of the horse. I learnt that from him. As a rider, you have to completely lower your ego, which has also taught me a lot about life in general. In equestrian sport you always have to be balanced, you have to swallow anger, frustration or whatever. Emotional riding is completely out of place, but you still need a lot of empathy.
• Can you give us a little preview of your freestyle? We're keeping our fingers crossed that it works out.
Léonie Guerra: I've already narrowly missed out on the freestyle twice, so it would be really great if it somehow worked out. I chose music that suits Galina. She has a strong personality, but she is also a ballerina in appearance. Her light-footedness and grace should be expressed. Boy de Winter has composed music for us called 'Magical'. It is rather classical with a touch of mysticism and magic.